This application relates to medical devices such as catheters that have sensors at their distal tips to which electrical wiring is connected.
Sensor catheters are used to gather information during medical procedures for diagnosing and treating patients. Ultrasonic imaging catheters, for example, may be used to gather ultrasonic images of a patient's blood vessels. Alternative imaging techniques also may be used, such as magnetic resonance imaging, optical coherence tomography and infrared imaging. During certain procedures, catheters may be used to gather a variety of physiological parameters such as temperature, pressure, pH, flow velocity and/or volumetric flow. Gradients or changes in physiological parameters across an area of interest may also be determined.
Sensor catheters are typically connected to control and analysis equipment, which may be used to generate images from raw imaging data and display physiological parameters. A number of wires must be run along the length of a typical catheter to connect the control and analysis equipment disposed at the catheter's proximal end to the sensor(s) disposed at the distal catheter tip.
In many instances, there are seven or more wires that convey power supply voltages, ground potential, drive signals, and raw sensor signals to and from the catheter sensors. These wires may be organized as a single cable bundle. However, cross-talk or noise among signal wires is a source of interference when using a sensor catheter to gather sensor measurements. This may adversely affect ringdown performance.
In view of the above, it would be desirable to provide an imaging catheter including improved wiring arrangements, to reduce wire-to-wire cross-talk.